Shadow Correspondent
JAMMU, MAY 29:
With massive outrage sparked in various villages of Ramnagar constituency against the working of PHE and RDD Deptts, the protests against their malfunctioning had become a regular feature, said Harsh Dev Singh JKNPP Chairman and Former Minister. He said that not only scarcity of drinking water was a general complaint of various areas but the legal stipulation of provision of 100 days employment to Job card holders by RDD under MGNREGA as provided under the Act was also being violated with impunity in various Blocks of Ramnagar.
Expressing grave concern over the acute potable drinking water problem in especially in the remote, Kandi areas sought a probe into the working of PHE schemes vis a vis funds received and output registered on the ground.
Singh regretted that even the complaints filed by him with helmsmen regarding the blatant violations and other irregularities in MG-NREGA in District Udhampur particularly the Blocks of Ramnagar, Majalta, Khoon, Basantgarh, Ghordi, Kulwanta and Chanunta on the basis his personal knowledge and replies obtained through RTI, had failed to elicit any response from concerned quarters. He said that in view of well knit mafias in the Rural Development Deptt., the funds meant for the poor, needy and rural unemployed were being swindled thereby defeating the very purpose of the scheme. He regretted that the state govt too could not be absolved of its criminal vicarious liability as the in-explicable delay in apprehending fraudsters had allowed the corrupt and unscrupulous elements to siphon the funds envisaged for empowerment of rural poor.
